1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to exhaust vent systems for clothes dryers. More specifically it relates to a retractable clothes dryer vent for providing an easier clothes dryer vent connection and a reduced risk of fire.
2. Description of Related Art
When a clothes dryer is installed in a building, it must be vented to the outside. It is difficult to make this connection because the dryer's exhaust pipe is usually located at the lower portion of the back of the dryer. The connection is usually done by, but not limited to, one of the following methods.
The easiest solution has been to use a flexible dryer hose to connect the clothes dryer exhaust pipe to the outside vent. The flexible dryer vent hose is not only flexible but it is also accordion-like in that its length can be extended and collapsed, which allows attaching it to the clothes dryer while the clothes dryer is away from the rear wall. After the connection, the dryer is moved close to the rear wall which usually kinks the flexible vent hose. The kinks in the dryer vent hose result in numerous fires every year. Kinks in the dryer vent hose can also cause a restriction that reduces dryer efficiency. In gas dryers, that restriction can cause dangerous exhaust gases to be emitted into the building in which the clothes dryer is installed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,948 to Anderson et al., hereby incorporated by reference herein, discloses an assembly of lengths of rigid pipe connected together with a number of elbows. The configuration brings the connection of the clothes dryer to the outside duct to the top of the dryer, enabling the installer the ability to make the connection after the clothes dryer is installed. This method does not allow the clothes dryer to be installed tight to the wall behind the clothes dryer, because several inches of space between the dryer and the wall are necessary to accommodate the pipe and elbows. It is also difficult and time consuming to install, because several pipes need to be cut to the correct length and then assembled with several elbows to obtain the correct configuration. This system must also be disconnected to move the dryer away from the rear wall for servicing.
Another solution has been to connect the clothes dryer exhaust tube directly to the wall vent. This is the most difficult. The wall vent to the outside must be meticulously installed to align exactly with the clothes dryer exhaust. Even then it is usually necessary for two people to do the installation: one to push the dryer into position while the other lies down and reaches behind the dryer to align the dryer exhaust with the outside duct. Another drawback to this method is if a new dryer has to be installed, the wall vent to the outside will have to be moved unless the new dryer is the same make and model as the old dryer.